Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance

Students are admitted provisionally until they are approved for their major, based on the evaluation and recommendation of the dance faculty.

Eligibility and Assessment Criteria

1. Students auditioning for acceptance at the freshman level must demonstrate a basic ability in, and theoretical foundation for, dance training.
2. At the completion of the freshman year, students may advance to the next technical level in ballet and/or modern dance on the basis of a juried examination and assessment by the dance faculty.
3. Students not advancing to the next technical level in ballet and/or modern dance will be required to repeat their present level and may only repeat a level three times to continue in a dance major.
4. When a student has met the proficiency standards at the completion of the freshman year, the student will petition for declaration of major emphasis on ballet and/or modern dance.
5. Following acceptance by the dance faculty, a student will be expected to complete the fourth-year levels of technical proficiency in the major area of emphasis and a third-year level in the secondary one.
6. Dance majors must maintain a B average in all dance technique classes and an overall combined 3.0 GPA in all dance courses.
7. Upon completion of all degree requirements, and a satisfactory evaluation by the dance faculty of the senior recital, a student may submit application for graduation.

Program Prerequisites

1. Students applying for the dance program must have previous training in ballet and/or modern dance.
2. Applicants will be admitted, upon approval of the dance faculty, following mandatory auditions by the students.

Required Dance Courses

  Dance 140A-140B Analysis of Movement for the        
    Dance I, II                                    2
  Dance 141B-442B Ballet Technique and Theory
    I-VIII                                        24
  Dance 141M-442M Modern Dance Technique and
    Theory I-VIII                                 24
  Dance 107, 108 Dance Production I, II            4
  Dance 213C-213D Men's Class  I, II               2
  Dance 217A, 217B Improvisation I, II             2
  Dance 218A, 218B, 319A, 319B Composition I-IV    8
  Dance 250 Labanotation I                         2
  Dance 260, 261 Jazz I, II                        2
  Dance 301 Advanced Movement Analysis for
    Dancers                                        3
  Dance 302 Fundamentals of Body Alignment
     and Conditioning                              1
  Dance 303 Pilates                                1
  Dance 305, 306 History of Dance I, II            6
  Dance 309B Company                               6
  Dance 310A, 310B Pirouette Class I, II          (2)
  Dance 313A, 313B Partnering/Pas de Deux I, II    2
  Dance 405A, 405B Modern Dance Repertory I, II    4
  Dance 413A, 413B Advanced Pas de Deux I, II      2
  Dance 414A, 414B Men's Variations I, II          2
  Dance 415A, 415B Variations  I, II               4
  Dance 416A, 416B, Performance Techniques III,IV  2
  Dance 493, 494 Senior Recital I, II*             2
Total Hours                                  101(103)

Required General Studies Courses

  History 101 American History to 1877             3
  Art 110 Introduction to the Visual Arts          3
  Communication Studies 110 Fundamentals of
    Effective Speaking and Listening               3
  English 110 Freshman English I                   3
  English 225 English II                           3
  Conservatory 120 Music Appreciation              3
  Conservatory 353A History and 
    Development of Jazz I                          3
  Theater 300 Acting I                             3
  Conservatory 375B Special Percussion Methods
    for Dance Students                             1
  Dance 106 Computer Technology for Dance       
    -or- Computer Science 100 Computer Survival    3
  Applied Music                                    2
  Total Hours                                     30

Throughout their programs of study, all dancers are expected to maintain general physical fitness and weight as prescribed by the dance faculty. Health and weight requirements, and many other details, are contained in the Conservatory dance student handbook that is furnished to all dance students.